Why did welfare start in the U.S?

Answer 1

The history of welfare in the U.S. started long before the government welfare programs we know were created. In the early days of the United States, the colonies imported the British Poor Laws. These laws made a distinction between those who were unable to work due to their age or physical health and those who were able-bodied but unemployed. The former group was assisted with cash or alternative forms of help from the government. The latter group was given public service employment in workhouses.

Throughout the 1800's welfare history continued when there were attempts to reform how the government dealt with the poor. Some changes tried to help the poor move to work rather than continuing to need assistance. Social casework, consisting of caseworkers visiting the poor and training them in morals and a work ethic was advocated by reformers in the 1880s and 1890s.

Prior to the Great Depression, the United States Congress supported various programs to assist the poor. One of these, a Civil War Pension Program was passed in 1862 and provided aid to Civil War Veterans and their families.

Answer 2

Because people starving and dying in the street is considered too damaging to the whole society, and it's easier for people to re-enter the workforce later in economic boom times when there is more demand for labor, if they have some health and education. Also full employment may not be technically possible in many modern market based economies, so it is easier to share modest amounts of resources with the unskilled, the sick, the injured, and the infirm, instead of changing the economic system.

Answer 3

The concept of US government support for the citizens of the USA probably has its roots in the Great Depression. This depression sprung from the collapse of the US economy following the Stock Market Crash [Black Friday]. The collapse was a result of a "bubble" of optimism [q.v.]

Franklin D. Roosevelt succeeded H.Hoover and introduced many reforms that eventually helped the US [along with WW II] recover.

I know this from high school memory. Youv'e got the internet. Use it!

Answer 4

I think that social welfare was established because a civilised society looks after those in its midst who have fallen on hard times, as well as its aged and disadvantaged.

Answer 5

We have welfare to help the poor. There are always those that have less than others. Some have medical reasons for being unable to work. Others are just unable to support themselves.